


home

by naglisnatalie



Category: We Bare Bears (TV)
Genre: Blood, Brotherly Affection, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Gen, oh my goodness I love bears, please protect the bears, some violence sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-04-13 23:33:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4541706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naglisnatalie/pseuds/naglisnatalie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sun is setting. Ice Bear's feet ache. It's all his fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	home

**Author's Note:**

> yeahhh so I wrote this as a sort of backstory for Ice Bear as to how he got his axe, and why he keeps it around. written in an hour or so.

The city seemed a lot taller when Ice Bear got on all fours.

For a while they had relied on passers-by's generosity and compassion to get by, but Ice Bear itched for adventure and action. Something, anything that was beyond just sitting around and waiting. They were getting older. The box was becoming small.

His brothers and he had just found a new way to travel, and though he didn't show it, he enjoyed it.

Ice Bear walked with Panda's paws digging into his skin, wobbly and unsteady. "Guys," Panda squeaked, "...Are you sure this is okay? It seems kind of dangerous—"

"Nonsense, Pan-Pan," Grizz's voice came from much higher above Ice Bear, carrying the cheer his voice always did. "It's a lot of fun. And Ice Bear doesn't mind."

"Ice Bear takes his training seriously," Ice Bear said, but he could feel the weight of both his brothers beginning to do a number on his back. He'd get better over time. Ice Bear had to.

They walked through the town and through the gap in the fence leading to the clearing right by the city. They had been exploring for a bit and found a huge cave that was warm and safe. It would be a while before they could start putting things into it. Personally, Ice Bear preferred the cardboard box. The cave was warmer.

For the sake of his brothers, Ice Bear was willing to stay in the cave.

His paws found green, soft grass. Ice Bear walked on, the leaves tickling his face. Panda was quiet, his feet a lot steadier. Grizz played his harmonica, the same tune over and over again.

Ice Bear did not see the large root sticking out of the grass.

Grizz and Panda screamed as the bearstack tumbled to the ground. Pain exploded from Ice Bear's face and upper body as he crashed into the grass.

He stood and rubbed his face. Grizz wiped dirt from his cheeks and grinned.

"What an experience, huh?"

"Grizz, that hurt!"

Ice Bear looked around. He did not recognize the trees in this area. The root had never been there previously.

Panic seized Panda first. "Where are we?!"

"Calm down, little bro," Grizz said, placing his paws on Panda's shoulders reassuredly. "It's okay. We'll find a way back. We just have to backtrack."

Ice Bear felt guilt. Immense guilt. He had been walking the wrong way without realizing for heaven knew how long. That was certainly not a very noble deed.

"Ice Bear apologizes," he said.

Grizz pulled the two of them in for a hug. "No worries, bro. We stick together, okay?"

Panda whimpered softly, but he nodded.

They got back into the bearstack, and Ice Bear considered his options. The trees all looked the same—tall, tall, looking like they stretched right into the sky. He couldn't remember which direction they had come from.

"Root," he said to himself, his gaze falling on the tree root he had tripped over. Ice Bear walked back, being careful to step over the root this time, and he walked.

Hours passed in a blur with Grizz yelling directions, Panda trying to disagree, and Ice Bear wrecking himself trying to remember the route he'd taken for the past three days. The sky got darker.

The sun was setting when Ice Bear dropped down on the river bank, exhausted. His brothers tumbled down again.

"Ice? You okay?" Panda asked, anxiety bubbling through his voice.

The smaller cub lay on the grass. "Ice Bear is tired."

"We'll rest for a while," Grizz said, smiling down at Ice Bear with sympathy. "The river's a sign that we're almost to the cave, anyway."

Ice Bear felt something welling within him. It felt dirty and hot and like vulnerability.

"...Ice Bear apologizes."

"Dude, it's okay. Relax," He felt Grizzly's paws rub the space between his ears. Warmth emanated from his touch, different from the previous uncomfortable burn inside him.

He sat up and the three brothers huddled around each other, watching the sky turn more orange by the second. Ice Bear rubbed his paws.

And then, he heard it.

A low growl from the bushes right beside them, that sent a rush of panic through his chest.

Ice Bear tapped Grizz hurriedly. "Run."

As soon as Grizz yanked Panda up off the ground, the bushes jerked and rustled. An dark gray blur leapt out.

Panda screamed. Ice Bear pushed his brothers forward, and ran.

They ran along the riverbank. Ice Bear felt a claw brush underneath him, and he pushed himself forward.

"Ouch!" Panda's voice cried out, and fell behind them. Ice Bear turned back, skidding on all fours.

"Panda!" Grizz yelled, stopping close by.

Ice Bear saw the wolf. So huge. Panda trembled, backing away, his eyes liquid and large. Soon, he'd fall into the river. He wasn't fast enough to run.

Predator and pr—

_No!_

The sun glinted off something in the west direction. Ice Bear's gaze flickered. "Stall," he instructed Grizz, and sped towards the west.

A small shed came into view, overgrown with moss and leaves. Ice Bear caught the glint of bright warm sunlight in the long grass. He fumbled through and found a long wooden stick with a thick blade at one end.

He picked it up in his jaws and dragged it, desperately. Grizz was growling now, throwing stones at the wolf as he pulled Panda from the edge of the bank. The wolf snarled and swiped. Ice Bear heard a grunt, and Panda screamed again, but now it was "GRIZZ! GRIZZ!" and the grass was red—

Ice Bear was right behind the wolf.

Without a sound, he gripped the axe handle with his paws, lifted, and swung with his eyes shut.

He felt the blade collide. There was a pained howl. The wolf disappeared from underneath the blade, and its whimpers faded. Ice Bear dropped the axe and opened his eyes.

Red. There was SO MUCH. _SO MUCH_. Regret hit him in tidal waves.

"Ice!" his brothers yelled, running towards him and he felt their bodies, warm, alive, furry against his. The wolf had gone, but there was a visible trail of blood across the grass, and it made him feel sick inside.

"Grizz," he breathed, feeling light headed. His pale fur had a faint red stain on it. Grizz was smiling and crying at the same time, holding the two of them as tightly as he could. Panda was sobbing into his arm, choking on his tears.

"I'm okay, guys. I'm okay. It's okay."

Ice Bear's eyes were wet. His lower lip trembled, but he felt nothing.

"Sorry," he whispered, lifting his paws to his face. "Ice Bear is so sorry. Sorry."

"Ice, it's okay. It was just a scratch." Grizz's voice was right beside him. "Are you okay?"

Ice Bear tried to force out an answer, but he just could not.

_I will protect you next time, my brothers._


End file.
